For Paly Math Teacher Misha Stempel, travel isn’t just about seeing new places. It’s about connecting with her history and family. Her trip to Scotland and Ireland offered both, leaving her with meaningful memories.
“When I landed in Scotland, I got a little teary because I could just feel my ancestors,” she said.
Stempel explained that one of her clans is the Wallace clan, as in William Wallace. Thus, when she stood at Edinburgh Castle, she experienced history in a way textbooks can’t replicate.
“The whole time—I got emotional at grounds where Scotts, including my ancestors, lost in extremely bloody battles to the English; you’ll think I’m crazy, but I swear you could feel the spirits of the men who died there,” Stempel said. “Seeing the William Wallace statue at Edinburgh Castle and his memorial in the distance in Sterling also grabbed my heart.”
Her father’s past made her trip even more memorable. He was born in Ukraine and raised in Germany during World War II, where he survived the war’s chaos and immigrated to the U.S as a child, and even attended Palo Alto High School.
“When I was walking around in Berlin, I was thinking to myself, ‘Oh my God, my dad was here and saw everything that was going on,’” Stempel said. “I called him, saying I was here and walking around, and he told me to go find his house.”
For Stempel, Ireland offered its own wonders, though she admits her heart was focused on learning about her family history and the connection she felt to the land. Every cobblestone street and ancient castle seemed to whisper the stories of past generations.
She said her trip really made her feel proud of her heritage.
“It [the trip] definitely made me feel more connected and more proud to be Scottish,” Stempel said. “I’ve always been pretty in touch with my Ukrainian side since my dad and his mom were from there, and I was raised with some of the Russian Orthodox traditions.”
Through Scotland and Ireland, Ms. Stempel discovered more than scenic beauty: she discovered belonging. She walked with her ancestors, retraced their struggles and triumphs, and returned home with a deeper understanding of herself and her roots.
“I do think that, overall, travel gives a person a better perspective and appreciation of the world and of people,” Stempel said.
